Print separator



Aug. 27, 1957 J. TAINI PRINT sEPARA'roR 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 6.1954 Allg 27, 1957 J. TAINI 2,804,304

PRINT sEPARAToR Filed Oct. 6,- 1954 2 Shasta-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent Olice 2,804,304 Patented Aug. 27, 1957 PRINT sEPARAToR JohnTaini, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The C. F. Pease Company, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application October 6, 1954, Serial No.460,557

9 Claims. (Cl. 271-64) This invention relates to separating means forseparating the tracing from the print in a photographic printing machineor the like.

Machines of this type comprise a rotating cylinder which is partiallysurrounded by tapes, which move with the cylinder. A superimposed printand tracing are fed into the bite of the tapes and the cylinder at onepoint of the cylinders periphery and are discharged at the point wherethe tape breaks Contact with the cylinder.

lt is an object of the present invention to provide improved separatingmeans in which the separating action is materially assisted by an airstream.

It has heretofore been proposed as shown, for instance, in Brunk PatentNo. 2,641,980 dated June 16, 1953, to cause the tapes to pass over theperforated wall of a suction box. The suction causes the print to adhereto the tapes, and hence, at the point of discharge from the cylinder,the print path diverges upwardly and across the perforated wall of thesuction box. The lower portion of the perforated wall is curved, thusproviding a curved print path of relatively small radius, this curvedprint path being effective to cause separation, depending upon thestiffness of the tracing.

This arrangement also tends to produce an air blast which contributes tothe separating action. However, the air blast ends to extinguish itselfas the print progresses along a curved print path, due to the fact thatthe slots or perforations are blocked by the print. Of course, when theprint is in the form of a web, the effect of the air blast is missing,except along the side marginal portions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide separating means inwhich the elements are so arranged that the air blast is notself-extinguishing,

A further object is to provide means for creating an air stream which isdirected toward the leading edges of the print and tracing, and which ischaracterized by the fact that the air stream separates into two parts.

Still another object is to provide an arrangement of parts such that acomparatively narow throat is provided, together with means for causingan air stream on the one hand, and the print and tracing on the otherhand to move through this throat in opposite directions, the constricteddimensions of the throat serving to increase the velocity of the airstream to the end that separation may be effected in the throat by meansof a relatively high velocity air stream.

A still further object is to provide separating means which avoid anyjamming of the tracing due to the tendency of the leading edge of thetracing to curl downwardly, that is, away from the print.

Still another object is to provide improved separating means which, fromits construction, can be located at the point of discharge from thecylinder, thus eliminating the use of additional print and tracingtransporting elements which are necessary when the point of separationis located remotely from the point of discharge.

Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

With reference now to the drawings in which like reference numeralsdesignate like parts:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a photographic printing machine,taken along line 1--1 of Fig. 2, and showing a preferred embodiment ofmy invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, taken along line 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 1, illustratingone type of separating action, and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing another type ofseparating action.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a suitable supportingstructure including side plates 10 and 11 which are connected bysuitable cross members.

The side plates are provided with suitable aligned circular openings 12which receive the ends of a transparent printing cylinder 13. Thecylinder may be rotatably supported by suitable rollers, not shown. Alight source 14 is located within the cylinder 13.

Various rollers 16 are suitably journaled in the side plates 10 and 11and provide a path for a set of tapes 17 which engage the cylinder 13and serve to hold a print and tracing in superimposed relationshipagainst the surface of the cylinder. The tapes may be driven by a driveroller 18 with the result that the cylinder is caused to rotated by themovement of the tapes, and the print and tracing are advanced around thecylinder. The drive roller 18 may be driven by a suitable sprocketchain, not shown.

Disposed above the cylinder 13 is a suction box 20 having a slotted orperforated wall 21, the slots being indicated by the reference numeral22. Outlet collars 23 are provided at one or both ends of the suctionbox for connection with a suitable conduit connecting with the inlet ofa blower. The suction box is mounted between the side plates 10 and 11by suitable bolts 24, the collars 23 passing through suitable aperturesformed in the side plates.

Disposed in front of the main suction box 20 is an auxiliary suction box25 having a slotted or perforated wall 26 which is disposed closelyadjacent the main suction box 20. The slots are designated by thereference numeral 27. The auxiliary suction box is provided with outletcollars 28 at one or both ends which extend through apertures 29 in theside plates 10 and 11 for connection to a suitable conduit, not shown.The auxiliary suction box is supported from the side plates by suitablemeans, not shown.

A roller 30 is disposed forwardly of the auxiliary suction box andcooperates with the suction box to provide a path for a set of pick-olftapes 31. The roller 30 is iournaled in side plates 10 and 11 by meansof flanged bearing units 32, and the shaft 33 is extended at one end tocarry a sprocket 34 so that the roller 30 may be driven by means of asuitable chain, 34a.

A set of feeding tapes 35 and a drive roller 36 therefor is provided forcooperation with the horizontal span 37 of the tapes 17, immediately infront of the bite.

The lower portion of the perforated wall 21 of the main suction box 20is curved as indicated by the reference numeral 40, thus providing acurved print path. Directly in front of the curved portion 40 is apartially enclosed area referred to herein as chamber 41, this areabeing bounded by the curved portion 4I] to the rear, by the lowerportion of perforated wall 26 to the front, and by the cylinder 13 tothe bottom.

Above the chamber 41, the perforated walls 21 and 26 are substantiallyparallel to each other for a short distance, thus providing a throat 42.The width of the throat is greater than the combined thickness of theprint and tracing, and may be of the order of an eighth of an inch.

Above the throat, the slotted wall 21 extends upwardly to provide astraight print path, and the perforated wall 26 curves forwardly toprovide a curved tracing path.

Fig. 3 shows the relationship of the chamber 41 to the leading edges ofa print 43 and a tracing 44, thc dimensions of which have been somewhatexaggerated for the purpose of illustration. The tracing paper normallyused tends to curl downwardly, at its leading edge. away from the print,as shown in Fig. 3. This would normally tend to fold over the leadingedge of the print as it is advanced through the throat 42, and inextreme cases, it will cause the print to jam in the chamber 4l, or inthe throat 42. Y

The present arrangement provides means to overcome this undesirabletendency. In this connection, the pickof tapes 31 are driven at asubstantially faster linear speed than the tapes 17 with the result thatas soon as any portion of the tracing 44 engages the pick-up tapes 31the curl will be straightened out, and the leading edge will be advancedinto the throat 42.

In operation, a superimposed print 43 and tracing 44 when fed betweenthe tapes 35 and 17, will be advanced into contact with the cylinder 13,and will be moved with the cylinder and the tapes until the leadingedges emerge into the chamber 41. The normal position of the parts atthis time will be as shown in Fig. 3, assuming that the tracing ispossessed of a certain degree of n stiffness. In other words, theinitial separation takes place in the chamber 41, and the separation iseffected by the combination of the curved print path and the air streamwhich moves downwardly through the throat 42 and engages the leadingedges. The slots 22 extend well down into the chamber as shown in Figs.2 and 3 with the result that the print will adhere to the tapes 17. Theeffect of the curved print path is to peal the print away from thetracing, and this pealing operation is assisted by the air stream.

The slots 27 of the slotted wall 26 also extend well into the chamber 41with the result that as soon as the tracing 44 engages the pick-offtapes 31, the tracing will be caused to adhere to those tapes and willbe carried upwardly through the throat. Of course, there will beslippage between the tracing 44 and the pick-off tapes 31 due to thefact that the pick-off tapes are moving at a greater speed than thetracing, since the speed of the tracing is controlled by the speed ofthe cylinder 13 and the print tapes 17. However, this slippage does notimpair the separating action. Thus, under the conditions indicated, theprint and the tracing will have been separated by the time they havemoved from the chamber 41 into the throat 42.

Where the tracing is of exceedingly thin or compliant material, theprovision of the curved print path 40 has somewhat lesser effect on theinitial separation than when the tracing is of somewhat stiffermaterial. Under these conditions, as shown in Fig. 4, the initialseparation is duc primarily to the air stream flowing downwardly throughthe throat 42. The fact that the slots 27 of the auxiliary suction box25, extend down into the chamber 41 assures a continued air streamthrough the throat 42 even though the slots 22 are blocked by the print43 (Fig. 4). Furthermore, this air stream will be of substantialvelocity due to the narrowness of the throat in comparison with the slotarea. Thus, as the leading edge of the tracing 44 approaches the throat,it will be subjected to an air blast of constantly increasing velocitywith the result that at some point initial separation will be eected.

The velocity of the air stream through the throat may be augmented bythe provision of a transverse blocking member 4S which may be welded tothe rear surface of the slotted wall 26, this modification being shownin Fig. 4.

The separating action above described can best be explained by pointingout that the air stream passing through the throat causes the leadingedge of the tracing to flutter back and forth like a vibrating reed,this uttering being only momentary since as soon as the tracing engagesthe pick-off tapes 31 it will adhere thereto.

However, it can be pointed out that at the time the print and tracingfirst emerge into the chamber 41, the air stream is divided, due to thefact that the sets of slots 22 and 27 are both uncovered. This dividedair stream, and the turbulence caused thereby within the chamber 41, arebelieved to be the effective agent in causing initial separation to takeplace within the chamber 41 in the majority of instances.

Thus, the present invention is effective in providing initial separationirrespective of the stiffness or compliance of the tracing. It is alsoeffective in causing separation when the print is in the form of acontinuous web, in which the slots 22 are blocked, since the air streamis maintained by the slots 27, as pointed out in connection with Fig. 4.

Although only a preferred embodiment of my invention has been shown anddescribed herein, it will be understood that various modifications andchanges can be made herein without departing from the spirit of theinvention as pointed out by the appended claims.

l claim:

1. In a printing device of the type including a rotatable cylinder, aset of tapes passing thercaround, and roller means defining a path forsaid tapes, the combination of print separating means comprising asuction box having a perforated wall over which said tapes slide, themajor portion of said wall being disposed substantially radially to theaxis of said cylinder, an auxiliary suction box disposed in front ofsaid main suction box and having a perforated wall disposed opposite tosaid first-rnentioned perforated wall, said two perforated walls beingspaced from each other to provide a throat at a point spaced from thesurface of said cylinder and cooperating with each other to provide achamber disposed between said throat and the surface of said cylinder,suction means communicating with said suction boxes to cause an airstream to flow through said throat in a direction toward the surface ofsaid cylinder and into said chamber so as to effect separation of saidprint and tracing in said throat and chamber, and a set of pick-offtapes passing around said second-mentioned perforated wall.

2. In a printing device of the type including a rotatable cylinder, aset of tapes passing therearound, and roller means defining a path forsaid tapes, the combination of print separating means comprising asuction box having a perforated wall over which said tapes slide, themajor portion of said wall being disposed substantially radially to theaxis of said cylinder, and the lower portion thereof being curved toprovide a curved print path, an auxiliary suction box disposed adjacentto said main suction box and having a perforated wall disposed oppositeto said first-mentioned perforated wall, said two perforated wallscooperating with each other to provide a throat at a point spaced fromthe surface of said cylinder and a chamber disposed between said throatand the surface of said cylinder, suction means communicating with saidsuction box to cause an air stream to flow through said throat in adirection toward the surface of said cylinder so as to effect separationof a print and tracing in said throat and chamber, a set of pick-offtapes passing around said second-mentioned perforated wall, and meansfor driving said pick-off tapes at a speed greater than saidfirst-mentioned tapes so as to avoid jamming of said tracing within saidchamber.

3. In a printing device of the type including a rotatable cylinder, aset of tapes passing therearound, and roller means defining a path forsaid tapes, the combination of print separating means comprising asuction box having a perforated wail over which said tapes slide, themajor portion of said wall being disposed substantially radially to theaxis of said cylinder, and the lower portion thereof being curved toprovide a curved print path, an auxiliary suction box disposed adjacentto said main suction box and having a perforated wall disposed oppcsiteto said first-mentioned perforated wall at said major portion, said twoperforated walls being spaced from each other to provide a throat at apoint spaced from the surface of said cylinder and cooperating with eachother to provide a chamber disposed between said throat and the surfaceof said cylinder, suction means communicating with said suction boxes tocause an air stream to fiow through said throat in a direction towardthe surface of said cylinder and into said chamber so as to effectsepathan the combined thickness of said print and tracing.

4. ln a printing device as claimed in claim 3, the combination of ablocking member overlying said second-mentioned perforated wall at saidthroat whereby the velocity of said air stream through said throat willbe augmented.

5. ln a printing device of the type including a rotatable cylinder, aset of tapes passing therearound, and roller means defining a path forsaid tapes, the combination of print separating means comprising asuction box having a slotted wall over which said tapes slide, n

the major portion of said wall being disposed substantially radially tothe axis of said cylinder, and the lower portion thereof being curved toprovide a curved print path, an auxiliary suction box disposed adjacentto said main suction box and having a slotted wall disposed opposite tosaid first-mentioned slotted wall, said two slotted walls cooperatingwith each other to provide a throat at a point spaced from the surfaceof said cylinder and a chamber disposed between said throat and thesurface of said cylinder, suction means communicating with said suctionboxes to cause an air stream to flow through said throat in a directiontoward the surface of said cylinder so as to effect separation of aprint and tracing in said throat and chamber, a set of pick-off tapespassing around said second-mentioned slotted wall, the slots in saidlirstmentioned slotted wall extending through said throat and into thecurved lower portion of said slotted wall so that the leading edge of aprint as it emerges into said chamber will bc caused to adhere to saidfirst-mentioned tapes, and the slots in said second-mentioned slottedwall extending through said throat and into said chamber so that saidair stream through said throat will be maintained even though theopenings in said first-mentioned slotted wall are blocked by said print,and means for driving said pick-off tapes at a speed greater than thatof said first-mentioned tapes so that the leading edge of said tracing,as it is initially separated from the leading edge of the print, in saidchamber, will be engaged by fifi said pick-olf tapes and moved upwardlyinto said throat at a greater speed than that at which the remainingportions of said print and tracing are advanced, so that any curl ofsaid leading edge of said tracing will be straightcned out as saidleading edge moves into said throat.

6. ln a photographic printing device, means for separating a tracingfrom a print comprising two sets of tapes which are oppositely disposedfrom each other so as to define a throat, means providing a path foreach of said sets of tapes, driving means for said tapes to advance thesame in a given direction through said throat, means for establishingand maintaining an air stream through said throat in a directionopposite to said given direction, a chamber disposed adjacent saidthroat and in advance thereof in respect to the direction in which saidtapes are advanced, said chamber being bounded in part by said two setsof tapes, said tape driving means including means to advance one of saidtapes faster than the other so as to prevent jamming within said throat,due to the tendency of said tracing to curl away from said print.

7. In a photographic printing machine, means for separating a tracingand a print comprising two sets of tapes disposed opposite to each otherand spaced from each other to define a throat, means providing a pathfor each of said tapes, means for driving both of said tapes in the samedirection, and means for establishing and maintaining an air streamthrough said throat in the direction opposite to the direction in whichsaid tapes are driven so that as a print and a tracing is advancedthrough said throat by one of said sets of tapes, the air stream passingthrough said throat will separate said tracing from said print, andcause said tracing to engage the other of said sets of tapes and beadvanced thereby, said tape driving means including means to drive saidlastmentioned set of tapes at a speed greater than said firstmentionedset of tapes so as to prevent jamming within said throat, due to thetendency of said tracing to curl away from said print.

8. Separating means as claimed in claim 7 in which said path providingmeans comprises, in each instance, a perforated wall, so that a portionof the air of said air stream will pass between the adjacent tapes ofeach set and through said perforated wall, thereby causing said print toadhere to said first-mentioned set of tapes and said tracing to adhereto said second-mentioned set of tapes.

9. Separating means as claimed in claim 8 in which said means forestablishing and maintaining an air stream through said throat comprisestwo separate suction boxes, each of said perforated walls forming a partof one of said suction boxes, said perforated walls, in each instance,extending through said throat and beyond said throat in the directionfrom which said tapes are advanced, and means disposed beneath saidthroat to block movement of air upwardly into the lower end of saidperforated walls, thus causing an air stream to move downwardly throughsaid throat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,968,941 Hall Aug. 7, 1934 2,292,521 Horn Aug. 11, 1942

